This is in response to the recent incident in which Patrika Darbo’s Daytime Emmy Award for her guest-starring role on THE BAY was revoked after they found submission errors in the category. “We are disheartened by the recent events involving NATAS and the 45th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards competition and the decisions made by NATAS regarding the Digital categories of Supporting Actor and Guest Star,” the joint letter read. “We feel the time is appropriate to bring to your attention our serious concerns about the Daytime Emmy Awards competition.” The soaps also said that they “are united in their decision not to participate in the Daytime Emmy Awards moving forward until these important issues are resolved.”

The letter also called for changes in who is eligible to vote in categories, how the accountancy firm is handled, winners being leaked, and the actual production of the awards ceremony. It was signed by DAYS co-executive producer Greg Meng, Y&R supervising producer John Fisher, Sony Pictures Television executive Steven Kent, GH executive producer Frank Valentini, and Bell-Phillip TV Productions VP of communications Eva Basler.

In response, Terry O’Reilly, Chairman of the NATAS released a statement. “Today I received correspondence raising concerns about some elements of the 2018 Daytime Emmy Awards and concerns over its administration. We have great confidence in the integrity of our Emmy Awards system, and believe it effectively honors the best work being done in daytime television today,” it read. “That having been said, we always take concerns about our systems seriously… and out of an abundance of caution, I have instructed that outside counsel be retained to evaluate these concerns and conduct an independent look at them.”

Given that the Daytime Emmys are traditionally held in the early spring, there is still plenty of time for NATAS to address these concerns and ensure that next year’s ceremony goes off without a hitch and includes all four daytime dramas. We’ll keep you up to date as this story develops.